SCHG

SonED2 Manual/Tile Editor

From Sonic Retro

The tile editor is used for editing each component of the tiles that make up normal gameplay levels. Levels are built from 256x256 or 128x128 "Chunks", which are built from 16x16 "Blocks", which are finally built from 8x8 Tiles. Each 8x8 tile may only use colors from one palette row (for a total of 15 color choices, with the first entry in each row being transparent). Once drawn, 8x8 tiles are drawn onto 16x16 Blocks, which contain direction and palette row data for the tiles, and the ID of their own solidity height map. Finally, the Blocks are built into Chunks, which contain further directional and solidity data to apply to each of the Blocks within. Solidity Height Maps control the parts of a tile that are "solid" (that the player can collide with) and are based on the idea that each pixel column along the width of a Block can be filled up to a certain height, where the player will stand on it. The Height Maps also contain angle values that determine how the player is affected by gravity when standing on the height map. This data, however, does not have any affect on the player unless the solidity direction of the Block is set within the Chunk. All of this data can be created by altering existing data, by starting from scratch within the editor, or the tile art and palette data can be created outside of SonED and imported, however, imported data must be set up properly for good results.

Other modes: The "Editors" menu has options to switch to any of other editing modes available to a project using this Level Editor. The following keys also have the same effect:

L - Level Editor Plane A (foreground)

P - Level Editor Plane B (background)

O - Object Editor

Viewing Controls: The following keys Affect other viewing options:

Q - Disable Solidity viewing

W - Display Solidity Path 0 Over Chunks

E - Display Solidity Path 1 Over Chunks (Sonic 2 and above)

R - Toggle angle view when viewing solidity path

Y - Toggles the "Low" plane on or off

U - Toggles the "High" plane on or off

There are a few generic commands that apply to all Tile/Solidity editing sections described below. They apply to the editor to which the cursor is currently pointing and the tile that is currently selected therein, or to the Tile/Block/Chunk/Solid that is currently being pointed to in the Tile Selector.

Expand List: Increase the size of a tile listing by adding a new tile to the end. When hovering the cursor over the desired tile type, hold CTRL and press A.

Contract List: Decrease the size of a tile listing by removing the tile at the end. When hovering the cursor over the desired tile type, hold CTRL and press Z.

Insert: Insert a new tile into the list in front of the selected tile. When hovering the cursor over the desired tile of the desired type, hold CTRL and press I. Larger tiles and level layout are updated to reflect the new listing order.

Delete: Delete the currently selected tile from the list. When hovering the cursor over the desired tile of the desired type, hold CTRL and press D. Larger tiles and level layout are updated to reflect the new listing order. Positions occupied by the deleted tile now are set to "0".

Copy: Copy the currently selected tile for later pasting. When hovering the cursor over the desired tile of the desired type, hold CTRL and press C. Copied tiles of different types are stored separately.

Paste: Paste the last tile of the selected type that was copied to the currently selected tile. When hovering the cursor over the desired tile of the desired type, hold CTRL and press P.

Mirror: Reverse the currently selected tile horizontally. When hovering the cursor over the desired tile of the desired type, hold CTRL and press M. When a Tile or Block is mirrored, it's drawing direction in any Block or Chunk that it appears in is updated so that it has no visible effect. This is useful for Blocks in particular, to avoid having to draw new Solidity Maps that are just reversed versions of existing ones. To prevent the Block/Chunk from being updated with the Tile/Block, hold Spacebar.

Flip: Reverse the currently selected tile vertically. When hovering the cursor over the desired tile of the desired type, hold CTRL and press F. When a Tile or Block is flipped, it's drawing direction in any Block or Chunk that it appears in is updated so that it has no visible effect. This is useful for Blocks in particular, to avoid having to draw new Solidity Maps that are just reversed versions of existing ones. To prevent the Block/Chunk from being updated with the Tile/Block, hold Spacebar.

The Tile Editor is broken up into these parts:

Tile Census: This section simply specifies how many of each type of tile are used, and the maximum number of each that can be used.

Tile Selector: The Tile Selector simply functions as a tool for selecting a tile of any type to edit. The arrow keys, or the scrollbar (in windowed mode) can be used to scroll the list up and down. Left-click the desired tile to select it for editing. Tile types are selected by clicking the appropriate option in their respective areas.

Palette Editor: The palette editor serves as both the color selection tool and the color editing tool. The currently-selected color is signified by a white box that surrounds it. A level may only display 64 colors at once (the top 4 rows), but the display shows 128 colors, with the bottom 4 rows being available for creating "underwater" colors, or a different kind of alternate palette.

Swap Palette - Left-clicking the "X" to the right of the palette will swap the two sections, displaying the level with the alternate palette. The palettes must be swapped back to their original positions before saving, otherwise, the wrong colors will be saved to the wrong files.

Change Color: The "R" "G" and "B" selections below list the Red, Green, and Blue component values that make up the selected color. Using the arrows beside them will change the value.

Generate Alt Palette: The color to the right of the RGB options can be used to generate a type of "alpha blend" palette, useful for quickly creating "water" or other blend effects. Left-click the color to select it for editing, and then Right-Click it to generate an alternate palette based on the primary palette and the blend color.

Tile Editor: The 8x8 tile editor is made up of a fat-bit grid, which is used for drawing to the tile, and the smaller tile view above it, which shows the tile in its actual size. The tile is displayed using the palette row in which the currently-selected color resides. The "Tile ID" option shows the ID number of the currently-selected tile. The arrows can be used to select a different tile, or the "Tile Selector" option may be selected to cause the selection list at the right of the screen to display 8x8 tiles, which can be chosen by clicking on them. The "D" and "C" keys may also be used to select a Tile. All generic commands listed above can be used when pointing within the Tile Editor, or when hovering over an 8x8 Tile in the Tile Selector.

Block Editor: The Block Editor is made up of the Block Editing window, which displays the Block in actual size and allows for drawing 8x8 tiles into the Block, or selecting the Tiles to edit their properties, and the Block Entry Property Display, which displays the properties assigned to each 8x8 Tile entry in the Block. The arrows beside the "Block ID" option, which shows the ID number of the currently-selected Block, can be used to select a different Block, or the "Block Selector" option may be selected to cause the selection list at the right of the screen to display 16x16 Blocks, which can be chosen by clicking on them. The "S" and "X" keys may also be used to select a Block. All generic commands listed above can be used when pointing within the Block Editor, or when hovering over a Block in the Tile Selector.

Select an 8x8 Entry: To select an 8x8 tile entry in the Block to edit its properties, right-click the desired entry, and it will be marked by the selection box.

Draw to the Block: To draw an 8x8 tile into the Block, select the desired tile, and left-click the desired entry in the Block to place the tile.

Grab an 8x8 Tile: To select the 8x8 tile displayed at any portion of the Block for editing in the Tile Editor, double-right-click the desired tile within the Block.

Plane Priority: An 8x8 tile within a Block can be displayed as "High" (in front of the player and most objects), or "Low" (behind them). Select the desired tile entry and click the arrows, or, hover the cursor over the entry and use the "G" and "B" keys.

Palette Row: Because Tiles only use a maximum of 16 color values, the Block must be told which palette row to use when drawing each tile. Select the desired tile entry and click the arrows, or hover the cursor over the entry and use the "H" and "N" keys.

Draw Direction: The Block must be told in which direction to draw each tile (whether they are mirrored and/or flipped or not). Select the desired tile entry and click the arrows, or hover the cursor over the entry and use the "J" and "M" keys.

Solidity Map: The Block must be given the ID number of a solidity map to use when the player collides with it. Sonic 1 style games use only one "Path", while Sonic 2 style games use 2. For each path, select the desired solidity map, and then left-click the "Solids" ID number corresponding with the desired path to set the current Block's solid entry for that path.

Grab Solidity: To select the Height Map assigned to either Path of the current Block for editing in the Solidity Editor, right-click the Height Map's ID number shown in the Block's solidity setting.

Chunk Editor: The Chunk Editor is made up of the Chunk editing window, which displays the Chunk in actual size and allows for drawing 16x16 Blocks into the Chunk, or selecting the Blocks to edit their properties, and the Chunk Entry Property Display, which displays the properties assigned to each 16x16 Block entry the Chunk. The arrows beside the "Chunk ID" option, which shows the ID number of the currently-selected Chunk, can be used to select a different Chunk, or the "Chunk Selector" option may be selected to cause the selection list at the right of the screen to display Chunks, which can be chosen by clicking on them. The "A" and "Z" keys may also be used to select a Chunk. All generic commands listed above can be used when pointing within the Chunk Editor, or when hovering over a Chunk in the Tile Selector.

Select a Block Entry: To select a Block entry in the Chunk to edit it's properties, right-click on the desired entry, and it will be marked by the selection box.

Draw to the Chunk: To draw a Block into the Chunk, select the desired Block, and left-click the desired entry in the Chunk to place the Block.

Grab a Block: To select the Block displayed at any portion of the Chunk for editing in the Block editor, double-right-click the desired Block within the Chunk.

Solidity Direction: While Height Maps describe what parts of a Block are solid, they still need to be told in what direction the player or other objects can travel in without being stopped. The setting can allow the player to pass through in any direction, only from the left, right, or bottom (standing on top), or not at all (solid on all sides). Also, as a byproduct of the method used to store this data, the left, right, and bottom sides of the Block may be set as solid without setting the top. Select the desired Block entry and click the arrows, or hover the cursor over the entry and use the "G" and "B" keys for Path 0, or the "H" and "N" keys for Path 1.

Draw Direction: The Chunk must be told in which direction to draw each Block (whether they are mirrored and/or flipped or not). Select the desired Block entry and click the arrows, or hover the cursor over the entry and use the "J" and "M" keys.

Solidity Editor: The Solidity Editor is used to edit the Height Maps that can be applied to the 16x16 Blocks to give the effect that they are "solid". Height Maps do not correspond directly with 16x16 tiles, instead, they are listed by themselves, and each 16x16 Block is given an ID number that corresponds with the Height Map it should use. Each Height Map also contains an Angle value that determines the amount and direction of force that is applied to a player that stands on it. A value of 0xFF is used for flat ground, but otherwise, all angles MUST be even values. The range of 360 degrees is represented by values between 0x00 and 0xFF (256 values), with 0xFF being 359 degrees, 0x00 being 0, and 0x40 being 90. Values starting at 0x00 and rising are used starting at the bottom of a circle and moving clockwise (left-side slopes use values between 0x00 and 0x3F from bottom-up, right side are 0xFF to 0xC0 from bottom-up). The arrows beside the "Solid ID" option, which shows the ID number of the currently-selected Height Map can be used to select a different map, or the "Solid Select" option may be selected to cause the selection list at the right of the screen to display Height Maps, which can be selected by clicking on them. The "F" and "V" keys may also be used to select a Height Map. All generic commands listed above can be used when pointing within the Solidity, or when hovering over a Height Map in the Tile Selector.

Draw Solidity: A Height Map is made up of 16 columns, representing the 16 columns of a Block. Each column can be filled up (or down) to a certain height to specify where a player or object will "stand" when colliding with that point. To fill a column from bottom up, left-click the highest point that should be "solid". To fill from top down, left-click the lowest point that should be "solid". To remove a column, left-click the "X" below it.

Block View: To view the currently-selected Block behind the Height Map for more accurate drawing, click the "Show Block" option. The Block shown doesn't necessarily correspond with the Height Map shown. Because unique Height Maps should only be stored once, and multiple Blocks can reference the same Height Map, corresponding Blocks and Maps must be selected manually, and their relationship must be set manually.